Tbf it’s not as if we go up we are stuck with the current team. Thats what the transfer window and promotion money is for
Can't you tell? Just the usual obvious Nixon news that Jobe is wanted by a lot of clubs. Christ, anyone could tell you that and say the same about a few of our players.
Its an interesting debate and probably worthy of its own thread... But in real terms and trying to be as unbias as possible...who in our current squad could "comfortably " make the transition to the PL.... IMHO I reckon, Hume, Jobe, Neil, Le Fee and maybe Cirkin... After that i'm struggling
Imagine in Ipswich just managed to stay up it could be possible that to survive we would need to finish above Ipswich, probably Leeds and the play off winners who could actually be someone like Blackburn or WBA, with our current squad plus decent investment and recruitment might not be that unthinkable
Interesting to read the comments about the difficulty of breaching the gap to the premier league. It is clear the value of players and squads are higher, and the talent of individuals is very good. However, the beauty of football is that it is a team game. I think a lot of promoted teams recently have gone down the wrong track. Ipswich for example have bought lots of players, when actually they were on a huge crest of a wave already. The strategy for them should have been tweaking what they had. Luton gave us a clue as to how a championship side can still be problematic for a premier league. Sometimes you need to retain the core of the side that has earned you promotion, or the manner in which you earn it. I remember when Wilder took Sheff Utd up in 2019. He had developed a relatively unique style of play. Folk said it wouldnt work in the prem, but they survived easily and some of the bigger clubs coulnt figure them out. If memory serves he signed on a couple of big fee players - Berge and McBurnie. Many of his championship side, went and had a good premier league campaign. For me it is not about buying 10 new players and hoping you can blend a team. It is about taking those players you believe can do it, and then giving them a helping hand here or there. Evolution not revolution. Personally I think it would be 3 or 4 max new first 11 players is all I would want.
It would require serious investment with the current squad. Imagine the likes of O’Nien and Hume up against PL class forwards? Ouch. Both got tortured against the filth last season in the cup
That's the investment and recruitment part. If we recruit it's obvious some of our current squad would leave. The 2 you mentioned I agree don't ant won't have PL quality
Ballard did, O'Nien actually did quite well. Him and Ba were just about our only players to come out with any credit.
Not sure if my memory is going but I think everyone was absolutely garbage apart from Pritchard. Hume got absolutely ripped apart from Gordon. 09 and Ballard were both poor. To be expected against Isak like.
It was a hideous performance, thankfully the Mags didn’t get out of first gear Anyway, 1 week left of the transfer window. Hopefully we can shift some dead wood and bring in some quality. Bored of Hjelde coming on for a few minutes trying to defend a lead
Aye and I'd expect you to rewrite history and remember it wrong. Watch it back if you're feeling masochistic, he had a good game. Barely put a foot wrong. Ballard and Hume got destroyed. For what it's worth RR gave O'Nien MotM, does suggest he didn't play that badly. https://rokerreport.sbnation.com/20...3-newcastle-united-disappointing-derby-defeat
Yeah we need a couple of players to immediately improve the first team. We have some poor players to move on and that has already started with the shipping of Rusyn etc.
I fully expected Younger to be in contention this season. He will turn out to be a far better keeper than any we have had since Jordan Pickford. Patterson has regressed significantly this past 18 months...Very good shot stopper but has no command of his box and lacks communication with his defenders. Some may not like that but as a former keeper that's my assessment.
I also think RLB’s style has more of a chance at survival in the PL than the Martin style at Saints, Kompany at Burnley etc. we are getting good st countering without the ball
I see Aleksic is back to his warming the bench duty. 55 minutes on the clock yesterday and we didn’t have a single player warming up despite being desperate for a change in the game, something different.
